Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"
There is something important going on behind the scenes that the devil is determined you should not know about: the final work of Christ as Great High Priest on this cosmic Day of Atonement. That's the News behind all news. God has devoted the entire books of Hebrews and Revelation to its importance.
For those who appreciate Christ's role as High Priest in the final cleansing of the sanctuary, He is ministering a special preparation of character for them to be ready for the final events on earth. Says Hebrews:
"He is able to save them to the uttermost [perfectly] that come unto God by Him; "let us go on to full growth;" "unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation;" "we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, ... let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of Grace;" "God [has] provided some better thing for us, that they [past heroes] without us should not be made perfect;" "the God of peace ... make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is well pleasing in His sight" (7:25; 6:1; 9:28; 4:14, 16; 11:40; 13:20, 21). Note, all this is what He does, not what we do!
Says Revelation: "the harvest of the earth is ripe." "I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with Him 144,000, ... without fault before the throne of God;" "another angel came out of the temple, crying, ... Thrust in Thy sickle, and reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe" (14:15, 1, 5, 15).
This work of the great High Priest is going on steadily behind the scenes. You won't see it in the newspapers, TIME, NBC, ABC, or CNN. It's a work as unpretentious as the birth in Bethlehem (if TIME had been published then, their "Man of the Year" would not have been that Baby). Today, the Holy Spirit will take you by the hand and say, "Come, let's get ready; don't hinder the great High Priest in His closing work of atonement, let Him 'constrain' you by His agape to live not for self but unto His glory" (2 Cor. 5:14, 15). "Receive not the grace of God in vain" (6:1).
Copyright © 2009 by Robert J. Wieland.
Be sure to check your e-mail for "Dial Daily Bread" again tomorrow.